


The Reticulan Roadhouse

by ScullyLovesQueequeg



Category: The X-Files
Genre: Complete, F/M, Ficlet, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-16
Updated: 2014-06-16
Packaged: 2018-02-13 23:16:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,738
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2168991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScullyLovesQueequeg/pseuds/ScullyLovesQueequeg
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mulder buys Scully a pair of earrings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Reticulan Roadhouse

It’s late at night, when they both slide into the booth at the aptly named,  _Reticulan Roadhouse._ She is looking through the menu, going on and on about the names of the food at the diner, but Mulder is watching her, and the way her lips move. When the waitress walks over, Scully turns to her to announce what she wants to eat, but Mulder doesn’t know what he wants because he is too busy staring at Scully.

"I’ll have… a burger and some fries with a shake," He finally says and Scully takes his menu and hands it to the waitress. She begins to talk about the case.

"You know, I don’t think we’re going to find anyone who’s actually been to Area 51. I know it’s what you wanted but… it’s just not going to happen. It’s a highly secure facility Mulder, and it’s not on my map."

"Mhmm," He simply says, though he’s not paying her any mind. She continues talking, and he’s thinking about other things, like the way her hair is frizzing from the gentle but dry heat, or about how she is swimming in her pants suit, because she is too small.

"…seemed perfectly healthy, though that’s not so unusual…" She continues, engrossed in what she is talking about. She has autopsy reports on the table and is going over the data, uncaring and unaware that they are in a restaurant. Mulder smiles, because though Scully calls him dedicated, she has her moments too, and they are just as endearing to him as his are to her.

"The waitress is coming with the food," Mulder reminds her, and she looks around, and remembers they’re in a diner. She puts the file away, just as the waitress sets their plates down. A steak for Scully, and a burger for Mulder. They thank her when she leaves—at the same time—and go right into eating.

They eat in silence, and when they’re finished, Mulder starts. 

"Our flight doesn’t leave until tomorrow night. So that means we have one more night and a day here. What do you want to do?"

She glances at him, unsure of his motive, but she says, “If we’re all finished, I guess I could always sleep in…” She says and Mulder shakes his head.

"C’mon, we’re out in Roswell, you don’t want to maybe check out a museum?"

"Not really, no." She says. He looks a little deflated.

"Well, okay. It’s just—I guess, outside of work, we don’t spend time together. That doesn’t bother you?" He asks, and Scully looks down at her empty plate. She is about to say ‘No, not really’, (a subtle variation on her previous words) but she remembers that the day she came out of her coma, Mulder came to visit her and got her a gift. And every day that she was in a coma, her sister said Mulder was there, and read the news to her. And she remembered that while she was recovering from what was done to her, Mulder was there every day to visit with a joke to make her laugh. Mulder had made an effort to show that he cared even if he didn’t say it.

"I don’t think about it, but if you want to do something, that’s okay with me then. What did you have in mind? It’s late, not much is open." She says, without looking at him.

"You’ll see," He says with an enigmatic smile. She is not amused, but she stands. So does he.

"I’m going to go to the bathroom, if we’re going out again." She says, eyeing him carefully.

"Okay, I’ll be at the gift shop, paying the bill. Knock on the glass outside when you’re done and I’ll come out." He says, and she nods, heading for the restroom. Mulder heads for the gift shop to pay, and something catches his eye. It’s small and green, and it looks suspicious. He walks towards it and rotates the display stand slowly so that he can see it closer: a pair of dangly earrings that have little green aliens at the end. They are a silly thing, and though he is positive she would never wear them, impulse takes the better of him and he takes them, and goes to the cashier to settle his bill and buy the earrings. Just as he’s signing the receipt, he hears Scully tap on the glass outside, and so, he thanks the cashier before leaving to join Scully.

"So, where are we going?" Scully asks once they are in the car.

"Just outside the city. I need to show you something. I don’t want your expert a opinion on it, I just need you to see something." Mulder says, Scully is far from amused, but she plays along, leaning over to turn on the radio. Soft pop plays in the background, and he glances at her before shutting it off.

"Nice try."

"It was worth a shot," She says, glancing out of the window. The buildings begin to get less and common, until they are free from it entirely, and out on the open road. There are few cars on the road, besides the occasional truck, and after a few minutes, there are no cars, and just expansive desert all around. Carefully, Mulder drives off the road, and over to a spot that seems very precise, though random in respect to the rest of the place. He parks the car and looks at his partner expectantly. She climbs out and throws her arms out as if to ask him why they were out here. When he kills the engine, they are both plunged into a semi-darkness, lit only by starlight. He climbs out of the car, and walks over to her side, putting a gentle hand on her back to guide her over to the exact spot, before he let her go and took a seat on the ground. Unsure of herself, she sits next to him, and they watch the sky.

"Maybe it’s not as good as seeing a UFO," He says, leaning back as he looked up at the sky, "but it’s a great view. You don’t get something like this back home." 

She doesn’t know what to say because the view  _is_  breathtaking. It is also, like a lot of the moments she shares with Mulder, accidentally romantic, and she stares at him in awe because of all the people he could have shared this with, he shares it with her and they only work together.

"When you think about how small we are, I kind of find it hard to believe we are really the only sort of intelligent life out there. The truth is out there, and even if it takes my whole life, I’m going to find it. I’m just glad that I have someone like you to help." He says, and he looks over at her. She is embarrassed, because the admission is genuine and coming from the heart.

"You have a flair for dramatics," Scully says, though she is secretly pleased. "I can only imagine how you were with your girlfriends. This is very romantic, Mulder." Her tone is teasing. 

He laughs because he is embarrassed; he only now realizes how the scene unfolded, and it never occurred to him to see the scene for anything else other than it was: sharing the marvels of nature with the person he cared about the most. He had not meant it in a romantic gesture, but her words gave new meaning to the moment, and he conceded that it was indeed very romantic, and that if he was sharing this moment with Scully—well, that made it all the better.

"I guess this would probably ruin the moment then." He says, taking out the small jewelry box from his pocket. Now it is her turn to be embarrassed, and she looks startled.

"Tell me this isn’t leading up to a proposal of some sort, because I’m going to have to turn you down." She says, and he shakes his head.

"It’s not that. I just thought it would be a cool thing to get you. They reminded me of you, since you know, you don’t believe in them." He says, handing over the box to her. She is scared, but she opens it slowly, and gives a little sigh of relief. Then she gives him a look that is appreciation mixed with exasperation.

"Mulder, you shouldn’t’ve." She says, and he grins.

"I know but—"

"No, I mean, you really shouldn’t’ve. I’m not wearing these. I’ll look ridiculous." She says, and he looks excited. He reminds her of her little dog Queequeg, who brings her all sorts of ‘gifts’ from half chewed toys, to a clod of dirt. She knows they both mean well, but the gifts are not to her liking.

"That—that’s okay! You don’t have to wear them, but they’re yours! I saw them in the gift shop and thought they would be really nice to give you." He says, and she looks down at the earrings, using a finger to trace the design. It is not her usual style, and she does not ever intent to wear them, but they are special. Mulder walked into the store, and thought of her and that thought must have made him so happy that he purchased them, even though he knew she would probably never wear them. It was illogical, and a gesture rooted in sentiment that sends a painful prickling sensation at her eyes. No, she will not cry, but she is touched. For a long time, she does not say anything. The moment is special enough that she does not need to.

A couple of minutes go by in which they both silently watch the stars. Mulder turns to her, and says,

"Sorry for dragging you out here. Ready to head back?"

"Yeah… and Mulder… thank you. I know I gave you a hard time earlier, but I’m glad we came out here. And thank you for the gift. Really." She says, as he slowly starts getting up. He helps her up, and they dust the sand off themselves, before heading back to the car.

"It’s alright. I’m sorry it’s not something you’ll use."

"Yeah, but… I’m glad. I think they’ll mean more to me if I don’t." She says, and that makes him smile.

 


End file.
